Philippians (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series | IVPNTC)
Overview
In this warm, well-written study of Philippians, readers will find an introduction that discusses the letter’s occasion and purpose, authorship, and other background information, as well as its important theological themes. Passage-by-passage commentary follows that seeks to explain what the letter means to us today as well as what it meant for its original hearers.
From the Cover of the Print Edition
Nothing cripples a church’s effectiveness like internal strife. In Philippi, Paul addressed a congregation whose internal strife was compounded by opposition and suffering from without. Paul’s strategy was to write them a letter of friendship and moral exhortation, reminding them of their “partnership in the gospel,” their mutual suffering for the cause of Christ, and their need to “stand firm in one spirit.” His approach and counsel can serve us well today.
In this warm, well-written study of Philippians, readers will find an introduction that discusses the letter’s occasion and purpose, authorship, and other background information, as well as its important theological themes. Passage-by-passage commentary follows that seeks to explain what the letter means to us today as well as what it meant for its original hearers.
Students, pastors, Bible teachers and everyone who wants to understand Paul’s message for the church will benefit from this excellent resource.
Product Details
- Title: The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Philippians
- Author: Gordon D. Fee
- Publisher: InterVarsity Press
- Publication Date: 1999
- Pages: 204
About Gordon D. Fee
Gordon D. Fee (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is dean of the faculty and professor of New Testament at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. He is the author of several books, including God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul, and coauthor of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth.
Top Highlights
“Humility is a uniquely Christian virtue, which, like the message of a crucified Messiah, stands in utter contradiction to the values of the Greco-Roman world, which generally considered humility not a virtue but a shortcoming.” (Page 88)
“Paul’s overarching concern is with the gospel, a word that occurs more often in this letter than in any of his others.” (Page 22)
“Thus the primary connotation of love is not ‘affection,’ as in the preceding phrase about Christ (Phil 1:8), but rather a sober kind of love that places high value on a person and actively seeks that person’s benefit.” (Pages 52–53)
“Paul is a man of a single passion: Christ and the gospel” (Page 64)
“for Paul ‘joy’ is primarily a verb, something we do rather than how we feel” (Page 131)
Reviews
8 ratings
Ralph A. Abernethy III
9/7/2017
Henry Lara
5/21/2016
Chang-Hun Yu
5/18/2016
Daniel M. Mandery
11/21/2014
John L. Jefferson
9/10/2014
Timothy C. Seal
3/19/2014
Fee's work on Philippians is the best I have read. Unlike many commentaries on the epistle of Philippians, Fee identifies the greater progress of the gospel as the major theme (Christocentric) as opposed to the ancillary focus on joy (anthropocentric). Great work!
Johnnie Ray Bailey
1/4/2014
